Is this bullying?

nancy30005

What say ye, parenting? I am so torn. I can see both sides. The 'accused' coach played his third string the second half. The other coach isn't even upset. So basically the parents. Hmm...

https://tracking.si.com/2013/10/22/tim-buchanan-aledo-bullying-rout/

A parent of a Texas high school football player whose team ended up on the wrong end of a 91-0 rout has filed a bullying report against the winning team’s head coach, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Aledo coach Tim Buchanan said he received notice that a bullying report had been filed against him by a parent of an opposing player following the Bearcats’ 91-0 win over Fort Worth Western Hills on Friday.

Aledo, a three-time Class 4A state champion, is ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press statewide poll. The Bearcats have outscored their opponents by an average of 77 points in each of their four district games, including 84-7 wins over Fort Worth Arlington Heights and Fort Worth Wyatt

Buchanan told the Star-Telegram the margins of victory are troublesome for him and his coaching staff.

“I’m upset about it,” Buchanan said. “I don’t like it. I sit there the whole third and fourth quarter and try to think how I can keep us from scoring.”

Aledo rushed for 391 yards and eight touchdowns against Western Hills.  One running back scored four touchdowns on four carries. Aledo quarterbacks attempted just 10 passes. Aledo also dominated Western Hills in special teams play, with one player returning consecutive punt returns for touchdowns.

Buchanan told the Star-Telegram he removed his offensive starters after 21 plays and both teams agreed to use a running clock in the second half.

It’s believed to be the first time a bullying report has been filed involving a Texas high school football game.

From the Star-Telegram:

By state law, Aledo and all school districts must provide a bullying report form on their website. Aledo’s principal has to investigate the allegations reported and prepare a written report of the investigation, determining whether bullying occurred. Buchanan said he has the support of the Aledo administration. But he didn’t dismiss the serious nature of the report.

“I have to address it,” Buchanan said. “It’s not something you can laugh off or anything like that. What they said was that I should’ve told my players to ease up and not play so hard.”

Western Hills coach John Naylor told the Star-Telegram on Sunday that he was unaware of the report, and disagreed with the allegations. His team entered the Aledo game outmanned, dressing about 30 varsity players.

“I think the game was handled fine,” Naylor said. “They’re No. 1 for a reason, and I know coach Buchanan. We’re fighting a real uphill battle right now.”

Rach7170

Um...What? They won so now it's bullying? Dumb.

LaylaPartDeux

Good grief. The overuse of the word "bullying" is getting ridiculous.

This was not an instance of bullying. It was a football game. Someone wins, someone loses. Sometimes the losing team loses by a very large margin.

People need to learn how to lose gracefully and not cry foul (or bullying) when they do lose.

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LaylaPartDeux

I'm not sure it's unsportsmanlike-like to run up the score...if they had their second & third strings in and they still beat the other team's first strings, that's part of the game. You can't, as a coach, tell your players to go easy on the other team just because they're not very good.

I think it should have been up to the coaches and referees to call the game when it became clear that one team was going to win outright.

thekatie

Plus the coach says "I sit there and try to figure out how to keep us from scoring." What more can you ask? Running the score up might seem gauche, but I doubt ANYONE would like the team to literally walk instead of run, or just stand still, or whatever.

LaurelBee

It's not bullying. It's actually teaching kids a big life lesson. Life isn't fair. You're not always going to be the best. You're not always going to win. And if you sign up for something, you need to stick through it, even the sucky parts. Those parents are doing a disservice to their kids. And absolutely marginalizing those who have been bullied, like Pp said. It's aggravating.

Libby1978

This is not bullying IMO.

RondackHiker

Not bullying.

And unsportsmanlike to run up the score?

If you put your third string in, what else can you do?

It feels pretty crappy to lose by a lot, and it feels pretty crappy when the other team starts to do drills around you to avoid scoring more. Either way it's really obvious who is better.

You can try to put in worse players, you can try plays they aren't as familiar with and risk errors, you can try running the clock... But there's only so much you can do unless you want them to just hand over the ball and let their opponents score.

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RondackHiker

MotherOfPearl85 said:

RondackHiker said:

Not bullying.

And unsportsmanlike to run up the score?

If you put your third string in, what else can you do?

It feels pretty crappy to lose by a lot, and it feels pretty crappy when the other team starts to do drills around you to avoid scoring more. Either way it's really obvious who is better.

You can try to put in worse players, you can try plays they aren't as familiar with and risk errors, you can try running the clock... But there's only so much you can do unless you want them to just hand over the ball and let their opponents score.

RondackHiker said:

@RondacHiker, that's one of the unspoken sports room. You should run up the score on an obviously inferior opponent. I don't agree with it but people are always up in arms about it. 

I know. But he wasn't trying to. That's what I'm saying. If he had his first string in and was screaming for more points the whole time I'd side eye.

But there are times you can't help it. I think it's worse to pass and pass and pass and make it obvious you COULD score but aren't (in sports like soccer). Just put in your bad players and hope for the best. You can expect your third string not to try, they're likely hoping to bump up to second string.

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Eleventy11

I live in Texas and my DH is a high school football coach. This was not bullying. As PP have said, there's not much that a coach can do in this situation. Our high school districts are drawn up by the UIL. They are determined by size and location. Aledo has been put in a district that is much weaker. They have no choice but to play these teams. It actually does their players a disservice to not allow his first string kids to play. The coach basically has had to tell kids that they can't play because they are better than the opposing teams. These kids are not getting the playing time and experience of other kids they will meet in the playoffs. Yes, it is great that other kids are getting a chance to play. However, the best athletes are essentially being punished...is that bullying? (And no, I don't think it is at all...no one seems to think or care about those kids though. It's only about the kids who are getting beat.)

There is no mercy rule in high school football in Texas. The clock can be run, which was done here.

zeptattoo

Team Not Bullying.

angelashly

Not bullying. It's life and the coach tried his best.

SpaceGirlSpiff

No.  No it's not.  Not even a little bit.

LuckyDad

There is no possible way this is bullying. Like, a coach just can't bully an entire opposing team. That's not how bullying or sports work.

Baseball often has a "mercy rule", and perhaps the parents should appeal to the district to put one in for the next season for football.

klondikebar

Filing that report is a slap in the face to every past and present victim of true bullying. Shame on those parents.

RayRay007

Didn't read the article but based on your summary, no. Parents these days.